Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink Writing
This work explores the use of a lunar regolith simulant as feedstock for the direct ink writing additive manufacturing process as an option to enable future lunar in-situ resource utilisation. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated in a laboratory setting by manufacturing objects with dif...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Stichting OpenAccess
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Spool |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://spool.ac/index.php/spool/article/view/172 |
| _version_ | 1828145750178004992 |
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| author | Billy Grundström Timon Schild Aidan Cowley |
| author_facet | Billy Grundström Timon Schild Aidan Cowley |
| author_sort | Billy Grundström |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This work explores the use of a lunar regolith simulant as feedstock for the direct ink writing additive manufacturing process as an option to enable future lunar in-situ resource utilisation. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated in a laboratory setting by manufacturing objects with different geometries, using methyl cellulose or sodium alginate as binding agents, water and lunar regolith simulant to create a viscous, printable ‘ink’. A custom three-axis gantry system is used to produce green bodies for subsequent sintering. The sintered objects are characterised using compressive strength measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is proposed that the bioorganic compounds used in this work as additives could be produced in situ for a future lunar base through photosynthesis, utilising carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts together with the available sunlight. Thus, all the components used for the dispersion – additive, water, and regolith – are available in situ. The compressive strength for sintered samples produced with this method was measured to be 2.4 MPa with a standard deviation of 0.2 MPa (n = 4). It is believed, based on the high sample porosity observed during SEM analysis, that the comparatively low mechanical strength of the samples is due to a low sintering temperature, and that the mechanical strength could be increased by optimising the sintering process further.
It is proposed that the bio-organic compounds used in this work as additives could be produced at the site for a future lunar base through photosynthesis, utilising carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts together with the available sunlight. Thus, all the components used for the feedstock – additive, water (in the form of ice) and regolith – are locally available or can be produced in-situ.
The compressive strength for sintered samples produced with this method was measured to be 2.4 MPa with a standard deviation of 0.2 MPa (n = 4). Based on the high sample porosity observed from the SEM analysis, the comparatively low mechanical strength of the manufactured samples is due to a non-optimal sintering process carried out at a too-low temperature, and that the mechanical strength could be increased by optimising the sintering process further.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:36:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-51aeb43b111b453a956df93c2745eda1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2215-0897 2215-0900 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:36:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Stichting OpenAccess |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Spool |
| spelling | doaj.art-51aeb43b111b453a956df93c2745eda12022-12-22T04:04:22ZengStichting OpenAccessSpool2215-08972215-09002021-10-018210.7480/spool.2021.2.5268157Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink WritingBilly Grundström0Timon Schild1Aidan Cowley2Uppsala UniversityESA/EAC - European Astronaut CentreEuropean Space Agency - ESA This work explores the use of a lunar regolith simulant as feedstock for the direct ink writing additive manufacturing process as an option to enable future lunar in-situ resource utilisation. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated in a laboratory setting by manufacturing objects with different geometries, using methyl cellulose or sodium alginate as binding agents, water and lunar regolith simulant to create a viscous, printable ‘ink’. A custom three-axis gantry system is used to produce green bodies for subsequent sintering. The sintered objects are characterised using compressive strength measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is proposed that the bioorganic compounds used in this work as additives could be produced in situ for a future lunar base through photosynthesis, utilising carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts together with the available sunlight. Thus, all the components used for the dispersion – additive, water, and regolith – are available in situ. The compressive strength for sintered samples produced with this method was measured to be 2.4 MPa with a standard deviation of 0.2 MPa (n = 4). It is believed, based on the high sample porosity observed during SEM analysis, that the comparatively low mechanical strength of the samples is due to a low sintering temperature, and that the mechanical strength could be increased by optimising the sintering process further. It is proposed that the bio-organic compounds used in this work as additives could be produced at the site for a future lunar base through photosynthesis, utilising carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts together with the available sunlight. Thus, all the components used for the feedstock – additive, water (in the form of ice) and regolith – are locally available or can be produced in-situ. The compressive strength for sintered samples produced with this method was measured to be 2.4 MPa with a standard deviation of 0.2 MPa (n = 4). Based on the high sample porosity observed from the SEM analysis, the comparatively low mechanical strength of the manufactured samples is due to a non-optimal sintering process carried out at a too-low temperature, and that the mechanical strength could be increased by optimising the sintering process further. https://spool.ac/index.php/spool/article/view/172Additive ManufacturingDirect Ink WritingISRU3D printinglunar regolithsintering |
| spellingShingle | Billy Grundström Timon Schild Aidan Cowley Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink Writing Spool Additive Manufacturing Direct Ink Writing ISRU 3D printing lunar regolith sintering |
| title | Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink Writing |
| title_full | Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink Writing |
| title_fullStr | Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink Writing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink Writing |
| title_short | Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith simulant using Direct Ink Writing |
| title_sort | additive manufacturing of lunar regolith simulant using direct ink writing |
| topic | Additive Manufacturing Direct Ink Writing ISRU 3D printing lunar regolith sintering |
| url | https://spool.ac/index.php/spool/article/view/172 |
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